Photographic-printing machine



E. E. SHELDON.

FHOTOGRAPHIC PBlNT'rNG MACHINE. APPLICATIOIN FILED "M21, 1926.

Patented m 3, 1921;

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Eve reJTEIEhe/dan ATTORN UNITED STATES PATENT oFricE.

EVERETT E. SHELDON, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Applicatioufiled May 21, 1920. Serial No. 383,039.

tographic negatives and to this end it has for an object the provision of a machine which will quickly and expeditiously accom lish this result.

T e invention comprehends among othcr features the provision of a machine which primarily provides a light-tight box preferably divided into a plurality of compartments in one of which is carried a suitable,

light whereas the other compartment receives on a transparent face or in an openlng thereof, the film and printing paper so that upon the subsequent opening of a door or closure connecting the two compartments, the light in the one compartment will illuminate the other compartment and bring about the printing action between the film or plate and the'printin paper to accomplish the desired result. Q ith this in mind the use of a presser member for holding the printing paper against the film or plate is providedin such manner that when the 'presser member is brought into operating position, the closure between the two compartments will be automatically opened for the passage of the rays of light. I preferably have the closure made of a red glass or film so that when the closure is in normal or closedposition the forward compartment will be illuminated by a red light from the lamp in the rear compartment, thus facilitating the disposition ofthe film or plate and enabling the operator to readily V discern the particular character of'strength of the representation on the film or plate, the mentioned closure furthermore being so mounted that if desired it can be independ ently operated to be held in an open position at all times or normally arranged to open only when the presser member is brought into operating position and closed upon the subsequent removal of the presser member from contact with the printing paper.

' operating position.

operative or raised position.

a In the further disclosure of. the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of ref erence denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which,-

Figure 1- is a side elevation of the machine, the presser'member being shown in Flg. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. x

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the closure operating device mechanism, the presser member and its mount ings having been removed.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal .secti'onal view taken through the'printing machine with the presser member shown in in- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5--5 in Fig. 4:, and I Fig. 6-' isa fragmentary vertical sectional view slightly enlarged, taken through the mat or film holding member,

'Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 10 indicates'a box which at its forward end is provided with a suitable inclined support 11, the front 12 being also suitably inclined as shown on its inner face carrying a mirror The box is divided into two compartments 14-,15,the former being termed the rear or light compartment and the latter the front or printing compartment. The rearcompartmentcarries a suitable light 16 in front of a reflector 17 and a stack 18 is provided as an outlet from the compartment 14 to take off the heat which may be produced by the light 16. The rear compartment has a door 19 and on which the reflector 17 and light are preferably mounted so that readyaccessca'n be had tothe same whenthe door is opened. The compartments 141 15,are formed by the structure of the box and an interposed partition or wall 20 having an opening 21 normally closed by a closure 22, the latter preferably consisting of a piece of red glass suitably mounted in a frame 23 which is mounted to swing on suitable hinges 24. The front compartment or plate and it will be elear that when a film or plate has been arranged in position over the opening the subsequent opening of the closure 22 will cause the rays of light from the lamp 116 to be projected on to the mirror 13 and thence deflected on to the film or plate, bringing about the printing of the representation of the film or plate on to the printing paper. l Vhen the closure 22 is in the normal position shown in Fig. 4, the rays of light from the lamp passing through the red glass 22 will bring about but a weak transmission of light to the front compartment and which light will be of a red color so as not to affect the printing paper although it will be apparent that this red light will be of suiiicient intensity and strength to permit of the operator disposing the film or plate in position and observing the intensity of the impression or picture on the negative so that he can judge the length of time of exposure of the printing paper in order to obtain the desired result. Thus it is of great advantage to employ the red glass closure rather than an opaque member.

The closure 22 carries an upright 27, to which is pivoted an angularly extending'linlr 28, in turn pivoted to a swinging arm 29 suitably swiveled at 30 and extending exteriorly of the compartment 15 with an extension 31 on the exterior end of the arm and a suitable roller 32 carried on the extension. When pressure is brought to bear against the rollers 32 to actuate the extension and swing the arm 29, it will be clearly seen that the link connection with the upright and closure will bring about a swinging of the closure from its normal closed position shows a spring 33 connected by a cord 34 to the arm 29, so that the closure '22, when pressure on the rollers 32 'is released, will be returned to closed position as to the opening 21. In order to permit of manually adjusting the closure 21 so that it can be partially held in open position or open to its full extent and held in this position, I provide an operating member or bar 35 mounted to swing loosely on the upper extremity of the exterior end of the arm 29, the inner end of the operating member 35 being provided with a finger 36, which when the member is actuated, W111 engage the extension 31 and impart a swinging action to the closure 22 to move the same from its normal closed position into an open position. The degree of opening of the closure is regulated by having a spring engaged catch 37 mounted to swing on the operating member 35 with a depending end 38 of the catch adapted to be received in any one of a plurality of depressions or openings 39 in a segmental plate 40 secured to the top of'the box. This construction is provided so that the operator can secure the red glass closure in a partially or entirely open position for particular purposes, it being understood that ordinarily the closure by reason of the provision of the spring rod 33 and its connections, the closure is normally retained in a closed position as to the opening 21.

Secured to the top of the box 10 is an upright 41 on which is mounted to swing an operating lever 42 carrying a swingingly mounted actuating plate or finger 43, which when the lever is depressed into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, moves the extremity of the plate 43 against the roller 32 causing the closure 22 to be swung in the manner described heretofore, from a closed to an open position. In order to normally retain the operating lever 42 in its raised or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 4, there is secured to the top of the box adjacent the up right 41 a curved springdike retaining member 44 having an off-set or depressed portion 45 with an extension 46 secured to the operating lever 42 and adapted to have its extremity received in the off-set or depressed portion 45 of the retaining member 44 when the lever is in its vertical position so that the spring-like nature of the material from which the retaining member is made, will cause sufficient pressure to be exerted upon the extension to retain the lever in its upright position, the slight forward pressure on the upper end of the lever however, being sufiicient to move the extension out of engagement'with the retaining member so that the lever will gravitate or can be swung into operating position. Thesegmental plate, 40 has the main porti0n47 thereof provided with a plurality of upstanding ears 48 and a presser member 49, preferably consisting of two relatively hinged pieces 50 carrying arms 51 which are hinged and supported to swing upon the cars 48, a chain or cable 52 having connection with one of the pieces of the presser member and in turn connected to the operating lever 42 near its free end. Adjacent this point of connectionof the chain with the operating lever there is secured to the latter a spring plate 53, which when the lever is depressed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will bear against the upper face of one of the pieces 50 tending to: press the presser mem- 1 1 tightlyagainstthe printing paper and 'upon depression of the operating lever to have the presser member secure the printing paper against accidental displacement, a spring finger catch 54, mounted on the operating lever will engage with a projection 55 on the front of the box to lock the operating lever in its depressed-position, thus also looking the presser member in its active position. By reference to Figs. 1 and 4, it will be clear that when the catch 54 is disengaged from the projection55, the operating lever can be swung upwardly into inactive positionand will of course carry the presser member with it so that the printing paper *and'film or plate canbe subsequently rerearward extension 61 engaged-by a curved spring 62 to normally hold the holding strip in lowered or raised: position as the case may be, it being apparent that the depression 0t the'holding strip after the mat or other articlehas been arranged in position, will secure the latter against accidental displacement.

Now'referring to the views it will be seen that regardless of whether the operator desires to print from a film or plate, the disposal of one of these members in position over the opening 25 and the subsequent disposal of a sheet of printing paper upon a film or plate can' be readily accomplished and as mentioned heretofore the character of the film or plate can be readily determined when it is being placed in position by reason of the weak red light which permeates the front compartment 15 through the red glass of the closure separating the rear or light compartment from the front compartment. Now when the operating lever 42 is swung downwardly into locked position by reason of the provision of the finger catch 54, the presser member will also be swung forwardly and downwardly to bear against the printing paper and flatten it out and secure it against the face of the film or plate and at the moment that the operating lever is so actuated it will be apparent that the actuating plate 43 will be brought to exert a pressure against the roller 32 thus through the medium of the swiveled arm and link connection described heretofore, operating the closure 22 to swing the same into open position so that the full force of the rays of light from the lamp will be received upon the underside of the film through the medium of the interposed mirror 13 and thereby bring about the printing operation. When the printing paper has been sufiiciently exposed to complete the printing operation the operating lever 42 is unlocked and swung upwardly thus carrying with it the presser member 49, thereby uncovering the printing paper so that it can be removed to be automatically treated in the usual manner. At the moment that the operating lever is swung upward the actuating plate 43 will be swung away from the roller 32, removing the pressure thereon, so

" other compartment,

that the closure 22 will be freed and by the action of the spring "rod 33 anditsconnection with the closure, will be swung back into normalor closed position'asto'the opening' 21.

From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that the printing machine described providesnot only for a mechanism whereby the red glass closure is opened' to' connect the light compartment with the filmcompart ment'when thema'chine is actuated to secure the film and printing paper in printing position, but the said closure can be independently ormanually actuated to be at all "times secured'in ahalf way or full'wayposition,

depending upon the amount of light thatthe operator'desiresto have ejected or projected into the film compartment from the rear or lamp compartment and it will be furthe'r ap parent thatwith amachine of the character described, the operation of printing from negatives, can be readily and expeditiously accomplished, the machine not only provid ing for accurate and eflicient work, but bringing about a considerable saving of time in the carrying out of the printing of pictures or photographic productions upon printing paper, from negatives, whether they be films or plates.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A photographic printing machine comprising a box, an apertured partition in said box and providing a plurality of compart ments therein, a lamp in one of said compartments, a negative receiving holder in the other compartment, an operating lever mounted to swing on the box, a presser mem ber mounted to swing on the box and suspended from the operating lever to be operated therewith, a translucent closure normally closingthe aperture in the said partition and a means between said lever and said closure for operating the latter to uncover the aperture upon swinging said lever to move said presser member into active position said means including an angularly movable device, a. roller thereon, and an element carried by the lever for imparting partial rotation to the roller.

2. A- photographic printing machine comprising a box, an apertured partition in said box and providing a plurality of compartments therein, a lamp in one of said compartments, a negative receiving holder in the an operating lever mouted to'swing on the box, a presser member mounted to swing on the box and suspended from the operating lever to be operated therewith, a translucent closure normally closing the aperture in the said partition, a rotatable device operated by frictional contact for controlling the closure and uncovering the aperture upon swinging said lever to move said presser member into active position, and a finger catch on the lever for engagement with the box to secure said lever in locked relation to the box and retain said presser member in active position.

3. A photographic printing machine comprising a box, an apertured partition in the box and providing a plurality of compartments, a lamp in one of the compartments, a negative holder in the other compartment, an operating'lever mounted .to swing on the box, a presser membercontrolled by said operating lever to be moved into active position when said lever is actuated, aclosure for the aperture in the partition, a connection including a rotatable element between said operating lever and said closure for actuating the closure when the lever is actuated and means for independently adjusting the position of the closure relative to the aperture of the partition, said means last named including a segmental element, a swinging arm movable with reference thereto, retaining means for the arm, and a device positioned for engagement with the rotatable element.

4. A photographic printing machine, comprising a box, an apertured partition in the box providing a plurality of compartments, a lamp in one of the compartments, a negative holder in the other compartment, an operating lever mounted on the box, a pressure member controlled by the lever and moved into axial position when the lever is actuated, a closure for the aperture in the partition, a connection including a rotatable element between the lever and closure for operating the closure when the lever is actuated, and means for independently adjuste ing the position of the closure relative to the aperture, said means last named including an eccentrically mounted device positioned for engagement with the rotatable element.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EVERETT E. SHELDON. 

